Air conditioner



Dec. 8, 1964 Filed Feb. 27, 1963 A.H.EBERHART ETAL AIR CONDITIONER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 &U z M2 gg 57% 25 ka fu Arthur H. Eberhorr and Michael D-UHch ATTORNEY Dec. 8, 1964 A. H. EBERHART ETAL AIR CONDITIONER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed F eb. 27, 1965 Fig-5.

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United States Patent 3,159,984 AER CQNDHIQNER Arthur H. Eberhart, Hilliard, and Michael D. Ulrich, Arlington, Ohio, assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 27, 1963, Bar. No. 261,253 Qlaims. (tCl. 62279) This invention relates to air conditioning apparatus and more particularly to the so-called room air conditioner and the moisture and condensate disposal means therefor. a

The problem of disposing of the moisture and condensate collected by the evaporator of a room air conditioner unit is a familiar one. Numerous arrangements for con- 'veying the moisture from the evaporator to the condenser impeller or fan and for slinging the moisture onto the condenser as the fan rotates are known. These arrangements are disadvantageous when the air conditioner is operated in the winter time either conventionally, or as a heat pump, because the fan slinger dips into the collected moisture which often freezes to and on the fan slinger resulting in damage to the fan motor, or the fan and slinger arrangement, or both. In addition, such moisture disposal arrangements are not fully eiiective over the entire range of speed of fan rotation and the slinger is often asource of irritating noise during its operation.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner of the so-called room type with an improved moisture disposal system that is effective and operative in all kinds of weather and will not subject the motor or the condenser fan impeller to damage in the event the collected moisture to be disposed, freezes.

Yet another object of the present invention is to pro- Vide an improved moisture disposal arrangement for a room air conditioner that is substantially noiseless in operation and is fully effective over the entire speed range or operation of the air conditioner impellers or blowers to thereby dispose of all moisture withdrawn from the air cooled by the air conditioner.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a room air conditioner having an improved moisture disposal arrangement that is efiective to discharge the undesired moisture over a substantial area of the condenser unit to thereby increase the er'liciency of the condenser operation by more effectively cooling the condenser as the moisture. to be eliminated is evaporated therefrom.

In practicing the invention, the air conditioner cabinet is divided into at least two compartments with the evaporator in a first compartment and the condenser in a second compartment. A fan or impeller is mounted in a shroud opening in a wall of the second compartment to draw air into the second compartment for discharge through the condenser also positioned in a wall of the second compartment. Means is provided to convey moisture from the first compartment to the'second compartment and a feature of the invention is the provision of aspirator means associated with the periphery of the fan on the suction side of the shroud to draw the moisture from the second compartment into the suction flow of air through the impeller into the second compartment.

Thus the moisture is centrifugally flung by the fan or impeller into the second compartment and a baffle or other suitable dispersal means may be positioned to surround the periphery of the fan in the second compartment in a manner to disperse such moisture over a sub- .stantial area of the condenser where it is evaporated by ,fan blades when the blades are stationary in the event the moisture to be aspirated is frozen, the operation of radially by the impeller fan blades into the second com- 3,159,984 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 the fan or motor, when subsequently started, will not be impeded in a manner to damage either the fan or motor. Further objects, features and the attendant advantages of the invention will be apparent with reference to, the

following specification and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view partly broken away of a room air conditioner unit embodying the condenser fan,

. scroll, and aspirator arrangement of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1 as seen from the right, partly in section;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the condenser side of the air conditioner showing the combined flow fan, the fan scroll, and the condenser coils together with the aspirator;

FIG. 4 is a detailed front elevational view of the fan scroll and aspirator for one form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an end view of FIG. 4, as seen from the right;

FIG. 6 is a top View of FIG. 4;

PEG. 7 is a front plan view of a fan scroll and aspirator embodying a modified form of aspirator of the invention;

FIG. 8 is an end view of FIG. 7, as seen from the right;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a view of yet another form of the invention in which the condenser coils extend across a portion of the condenser fan and scroll opening; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view on line XI-XI of FIG. 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the room air conditioner is contained within the cabinet 10 divided by'the partition 11 into at least two compartments. The evaporator coil 12 is mounted in a first one of the two compartments while the condenser coil 13 and refrigerant compressor 14- is mounted in a second one of the two compartments of the cabinet 10. As may be conventional, the condenser coil 13 is mounted in a side wall opening of the cabinet 19 so'as to permit a circulation. of air through the condenser coils for cooling the same. An impeller or fan 15 is mounted Within the second compartment 26) of the cabinet 16 and is driven by an electric motor 16 in a direction to pump air from outside of the cabinet iii into the second compartment 26 and through the condenser coils 13 back out of the cabinet lit. Normally, the speed of rotation for the fan from the air being cooled drips onto the pan 25 in the first compartment of the cabinet 10 and is conveyed by the pipe or hose 2:? through the partition 11 into, the 'second compartment 20 of the cabinet 10. In the preferred form of the invention, the moisture conveyed by the hose 26 is deposited on the floor 27 of the second compartment 20 where it flows underneath the condenser coils to collect in front of the fan 15. It should be understood that the invention is not limited to a particular means for conveying the moisture from the evaporator 12 in the first compartment to the second compartment 20 of the air conditioner cabinet It) and suitable moisture collection trays may be provided in the second compartment in place of the described arrangement for collecting the moisture on the floor of the second compartment.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3 through 6 of the drawings, together with FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the fan 15 is provided with a shroud 30 having a circular orifice or wall opening 31 surrounding the periphery of the fan blades to establish an air seal therefor. Thus, air drawn in centrally and axially of the fan 15 through the orifice 31 is discharged centrifugally and partment 20 of the air conditioner cabinet 10 thus estab- 3 lishing the pressure for circulating the airflow back out through the condenser coils 13,

In accordance with the invention, an aspirator '40 is positioned on the wall of the shroud 30 adjacent the suc tionside thereof and the periphery of the fan. In the preferred form of the invention, the aspirator 40 is also spaced slightly above the base 27 of the air conditioner cabinet so that the condensate from the surface of the base 27 may be drawn as indicated by the arrow 41 up into the aspirator 49 where it is discharged into the flow of air sucked into the blades of the fan 15. Also as shown v by the preferred form of the invention, an opening 42 is provided in the wall of the shroud 30 to permit a limited amount of air under pressure from the second compartment 20 to flow as indicated by the arrows 43 into the aspirator 40. Thus the combined flow of air as indicated by boththe arrows 41 and 43 of FIG. of the drawings provides a strong aspirator suctionto aspirate the water from the base of the second compartment 20 up through the aspirator 40 and into the flow of air being sucked into the fan for all of the normal speeds of fan rotation. It will be noted that no portion of the aspirator 40 is in physical contact with the blades of the fan 15 so that in the event that the condensate collected on the base of the second compartment 2% becomes frozen, the rotational movement of the fan 15 will not be impeded thereby. Under such circumstances, it should be obvious that the aspirator simply will not draw any condensate from the base of the second compartment of the air conditioner cabinet so long as the condensate on the base remains frozen.

It should now be apparent that the condensate aspirated by the aspirator 40 into the flow of air'from the suction side of the fan 15 will be discharged centrifugally-and radially into the second compartment 20. In order to disperse the condensate thus discharged centrifugally from the fan 15 within the second compartment 20 over a substantial area of the condenser 13 in order that the condensate may be effectively evaporated and the condenser 13 more efiiciently cooled, dispersal means such as the 5 partial scroll or baffie member 50 isprovided to surround a peripheral portion, preferably'an upper peripheral portion of the fan 15 within the second compartment 20.

The partial scroll or baffle member 50 is further provided with an inclined baffle or comb member 51 whichspreads the droplets of condensate and substantially disperses the condensate over all of the upper surfaces of the condenser coil 13.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 a modified form of the invention is shown in which the aspirator 60 is positioned on the suction side of the scroll wall 61 and an opening is not provided in the scroll wall 61 adjacent the aspirator 60. In this form of the invention, a smallopening 63 is provided at the lower end of the aspirator 60 on the suction side of the scroll wall 61 to admit water from the floor of the second compartment of the air conditioner cabinet into the aspirator 60. Thus, both air and water from the suction side of the scroll wall 61 and the floor of the second compartment of the cabinet 10 is lifted by the aspirator 60 and discharged into the flow of air through the fan. In this form of the invention, the peripheral surface 64 of the shroud 61 is extended to completely encircle the periphery of the fan, not shown. An opening 65 is provided in the shroud 61 as shown to permit the moisture aspirated by the aspirator 60 and centrifugally flung by the fan to escape into the second compartment of the air conditioner cabinet. Baflle means 66 and comb means 67, similar to those previously described in connection with FIGS. 4-6 of the drawings, are also provided to disperse the moisture aspirated and flung by the fan 15 over the condenser coils, not shown. It will be noted that the principal differences between the embodiment of the invention being described in connecthrough 9 of the drawings,-

tion with FIGS. 7-9 of the drawings and the embodiment 4 FIGS. 4-6 of the drawings are that the air and moisture aspirated through the aspirator 60 is drawn entirely from the suction side of the shroud wall 61 instead of both the suction and pressure side of the shroud wall 30 as shown by FIGS. 46 of the drawings. In this embodiment the comb is not used, but atomization and directivity is imparted to the condensate by air at high velocity passing outside the scroll over the tab 70 aspirating air and moisture through opening 65.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11 of the drawings, yet another embodiment of the invention is disclosed. In this embodiment of the invention the condenser coils extend entirely across the wall of the air conditioner cabinet and partially obscure the condenser fan of the combined flow type as shown by 81. The shroud. 82 is provided with an aspirator 83 spaced above the floor or base 84 to provide the aspirator opening 85. An opening 86 is also formed in the shroud wall 82 to permit a small amount of the air under pressure in the second compartment 87 to escape into the aspirator 83 thus improving the aspiration action over the entire range of speed of operation for the fan 81. It will be noted that with this form of the invention, the shroud 82 is provided with a depending wall portion 90 which permits moisture and air pumped by the fan 81 into the second compartment 87 to be dispersed over the condenser coils 80 which extend partially in front of the blades of the fan 81. A deflector member or comb 91 may also be provided to disperse the condensate substantially uniformly over the entire surface of the condenser coils 80.

Various modifications maybe made within the spirit of the invention as should be understood when considering the three modified forms of the invention as specifically described. For example, the exact shape of the aspirator, the specific shapes of the condensate dispersing baffle members and the exact positioning of the aspirator relative to the collected moisture and condensate within the second compartment may be varied widely to meet the requirements of different sizes and shapes of room air conditioners embodying the invention. Obviously the use of the aspirator 40 is not limited to an arrangement in which the tube aspirates moisture from the base or floor of the air conditioner cabinet since the aspirator and the condensate collecting reservoirs may be positioned at vari-. one other points around the periphery of the flow fan on the suction side thereof. In addition, it will be noted that although the shape of the fan or impeller blades is such as to provide what may be termed a mixed flow of air thereby in the preferred arrangements, other shapes of fan blades may be used where desired or other forms of air impellers may be used and the definition of a fan in the appended claims is'intended to be construed to define any form of air impeller.

We claim as our invention:

1. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey moisture from said first compartment to said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wallopening of said compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan to draw condensate from said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, and dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan into said condenser.

2. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from the evaporator in said first compartment to the floor of said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser, aspirator means positioned onsaid shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan and spaced above the floor of the second compartment to draw air and moisture from the floor of said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, and dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser.

3. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from the evaporator in said first compartment to the floor of said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to create a positive air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan and spaced above the floor of the second compartment to draw air and moisture from the floor of said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, and dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser.

4. Air conditioning appmatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from the evaporator in said first compartment to the floor of said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to create a positive air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan and spaced above the floor of the second compartment to draw air and moisture from the floor of said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan Within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser, and means to return unevaporated moisture from said condenser to the floor of said second compartment.

5. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from said first compartment to said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to create a positive air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan to draw moisture'from said second compartment into the air flow through thefanwhen the fan is rotating, and dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser.

6. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from said first compartment to said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a Wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a Wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge throughv at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to create a positive'air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan to draw moisture from said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser, and means to return unevaporated moisture from said condenser to said second compartment.

7. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser ina second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from the evaporator in said first compartment to the floor of said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to create a positive air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan and spaced above the floor of the second compartment, an opening in said shroud adjacent said aspirator to admit air under pressure from said second compartment :to said aspirator whereby said aspirator is eifective to draw air and moisture from the floor of said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, and dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser.

8. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet pantitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from the evaporator in said first compartment to the floor of said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to create a positive air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan and spaced above the floor of the second compartment, an opening in said shroud adjacent said aspirator to admit air under pressure from said second compartment to said aspirator whereby said aspirator is effective to draw air and moisture from the floor of said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser, and means to re- 7 a turn unevaporated moisture from said condenser to the floor of said second compartment.

9. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a firstone of said compartments and a condenser in-a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from said first compartment to said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a Wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to create a positive 'air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan, an opening in said shroud adjacent said aspirator to admit air under pressure from said second compartment to said aspirator whereby said aspirator is effective to draw air and moisture from said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, and dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser.

10. Air conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet partitioned into at least two compartments with an evaporator in a first one of said compartments and a condenser in a second one of said compartments, means to convey condensate from said first compartment to said second compartment, a fan, a shroud surrounding said fan in a wall opening of said second compartment, said condenser being also mounted in a wall of said second compartment, means to rotate said fan in a direction to draw air into said second compartment for discharge through at least a portion of said condenser in an amount to. create a positive air pressure in said second compartment, aspirator means positioned on said shroud on the suction side thereof adjacent the periphery of said fan, an opening in'said shroud adjacent said aspirator to admit air under pressure from said second compartment to said aspirator'whereby said aspirator is effective to draw air and moisture from said second compartment into the air flow through the fan when the fan is rotating, dispersal means positioned to surround a peripheral portion of said fan within said. second compartment to disperse the moisture flung by said fan onto said condenser, and means to return unevaporated moisture from said condenser to said second compartment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,710,510 Roseman June 14, 1955 3,045,449 Durdle July 24, 1962 3,079,766 Abbott Mar. 5, 1963 

1. AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS COMPRISING A CABINET PARTITIONED INTO AT LEAST TWO COMPARTMENTS WITH AN EVAPORATOR IN A FIRST ONE OF SAID COMPARTMENTS AND A CONDENSER IN A SECOND ONE OF SAID COMPARTMENTS, MEANS TO CONVEY MOISTURE FROM SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT TO SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT, A FAN, A SHROUD SURROUNDING SAID FAN IN A WALL OPENING OF SAID COMPARTMENT, SAID CONDENSER BEING ALSO MOUNTED IN A WALL OF SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT, MEANS TO ROTATE SAID FAN IN A DIRECTION TO DRAW AIR INTO SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT FOR DISCHARGE THROUGH AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID CONDENSER, ASPIRATOR MEANS POSITIONED ON SAID SHROUD ON THE SUCTION SIDE THEREOF ADJACENT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID FAN TO DRAW CONDENSATE FROM SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT INTO THE AIR FLOW THROUGH THE FAN WHEN THE FAN IS ROTATING, AND DISPERSAL MEANS POSITIONED TO SURROUND A PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID FAN WITHIN SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT TO DISPERSE THE MOISTURE FLUNG BY SAID FAN INTO SAID CONDENSER. 